Question about Experimental

LesGawlik

LesGawlik

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I have been flying for a number of years, but I confess to complete ignorance about Experimentals.

I am considering a non-certificated plane, and started reading the rules. What's this about congested airspace? I operate out of a Class D which is surrounded by yellow on the sectional. I see other Experimentals and they seem to come and go without any concern. Is this regulation not applicable anymore?

And how about IFR? I know the basic equipment requirements for IFR. Can those items be put in any experimental and the plane flown IFR?

What limitations are placed on Experimentals? I think Mexico is no. How about the Carribean?
 
Depends on operating limitations. And they have changed over the years.
Restrictions on operating over congested areas currently only apply to phase 1 (first 40 hours).
If you have the equipment for IFR, you can typically do IFR.
dunno about international.
 
LesGawlik said:
I have been flying for a number of years, but I confess to complete ignorance about Experimentals.

I am considering a non-certificated plane, and started reading the rules. What's this about congested airspace? I operate out of a Class D which is surrounded by yellow on the sectional. I see other Experimentals and they seem to come and go without any concern. Is this regulation not applicable anymore?

And how about IFR? I know the basic equipment requirements for IFR. Can those items be put in any experimental and the plane flown IFR?

What limitations are placed on Experimentals? I think Mexico is no. How about the Carribean?
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Here’s some stuff about IFR. https://www.eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-bu...ions/equipping-a-homebuilt-for-ifr-operations
 
The operating limitations for some older experimentals said no operating over congested areas. Some had an exception for takeoff and landing. Newer operating limitations (you can apply to the FDA to have them updated) add "unless sufficient altitude is maintained to make a safe emergency landing...," so effectively no difference from a certified aircraft.

BTW, the yellow on the chart doesn't mean "congested area" (although it probably is); rather, it shows the well lit portion of a city as it shows up at night.

I think you can fly to Canada and the Bahamas, not sure about other countries.
 
Experimentals are flown in all airspace all the time. They are flown IFR all the time (if properly equipped). And they are flown internationally all the time. If needs to be flown in phase 1, you're limited in where you can fly. But phase 1 happens when the plane is first certified and if/when major modifications have been made and generally lasts a set number of hours. Then the plane goes to phase 2 and it can be used for just about anything any other certified airplane be used for except making money.
 
Phase 1 restrictions might figure into where you base your plane (at least initially), so you have a path over a lightly populated region to get to the practice area for that first 40 hours. For me in rather densely populated SoCal, I'm at Cable in Upland, at the base of the San Gabriel mountains. I fly north over a wash, east at the southern base of the mountains, north up the Cajon Pass, and into the high desert.

Experimentals are great in terms of cheap avionics, glass panels, etc. If you build it yourself and get the Repairman Certificate from the FSDO, you can do your own condition inspections.
 
My Phase 1 ops area was a 100 mile radius from my home airport. No restrictions for over the city. I was asked to notify tower at my home field that I was Phase 1 and they marked my N number as being in testing for 30 days with an option to extend it. No drama.
 
The regulation doesn't say "congested areas." It says "over a densely populated area or in a congested airway."

I'm not sure what a congested airway is, though the path between RIPON and Oshkosh sounds like one. Of course, if you took out the experimentals, it wouldn't be congested.
 
SoCal RV Flyer said:
For me in rather densely populated SoCal, I'm at Cable in Upland, at the base of the San Gabriel mountains.
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How is the build community at Cable airport? I know there is an EAA chapter there. I'm kicking around the idea of building, and may move to Cable from my hangar in Chino. Just wondering if that's a smart move.
 
SoCalPilot88 said:
How is the build community at Cable airport? I know there is an EAA chapter there. I'm kicking around the idea of building, and may move to Cable from my hangar in Chino. Just wondering if that's a smart move.
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Chapter 448 is going strong now under new leadership. They've got a good (and growing) tool loaner program.

Cable is great. Lots of interesting aircraft on the field, and non-towered is a plus for me. A nice T-hangar goes for $358/mo. A rough guess, but maybe 15 RVs at the field.
 
I fly an Experimental (RV6A) I didn't build. I don't even change my own oil because I'm mechanically inept.

The plane is IFR capable and I pay extra for the required checks. I'm s l o w l y getting my IR in my plane, and will probably also get commercial in her, since she's TAA according to the rules.

The plane is also acro capable but it hasn't been inverted since I've owned it, since I've not trained for that.

Your questions are valid. Always know what you're getting in to when you buy any aircraft. But for the average "I want a fast sexy plane" pilots, EXP is a great option. Temper that with what your needed useful load and range needs and you'll be unlikely to feel hamstrung by the certification.

Which EXP are you looking at?
 
An aircraft with a special airworthiness certificate including Experimental Amateur Built, is a "certificated" aircraft. Does anyone know if an ultralight has any sort of certification?
 
An aircraft with a special airworthiness certificate including Experimental Amateur Built, is a "certificated" aircraft.
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According to the FAA, the special airworthiness certificate (FAA Form 8130-7) issued to experimental amateur built aircraft is an FAA authorization to operate those aircraft in US airspace. Otherwise they could not be flown in the US as non-certificated airplanes are not eligible for a standard airworthiness certificate.
 
martym said:
According to the FAA, the special airworthiness certificate (FAA Form 8130-7) issued to experimental amateur built aircraft is an FAA authorization to operate those aircraft in US airspace. Otherwise they could not be flown in the US as non-certificated airplanes are not eligible for a standard airworthiness certificate.
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The fact that a Special Airworthiness Certificate is a certificate makes an exerimental with one, certificated. Special or standard, both are certificates and have their own limitations. An ultralight is non-certificated and yet operates in US airspace.
 
IFR Experimentals can do anything Certified can do. . .. except Canada. I know you can't take one there w/o Canadian cert like you can a Certified aircraft.
 
Witmo said:
The fact that a Special Airworthiness Certificate is a certificate makes an exerimental with one, certificated. Special or standard, both are certificates and have their own limitations. An ultralight is non-certificated and yet operates in US airspace.
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NEither are certain light sports.
 
Joe Pilot said:
IFR Experimentals can do anything Certified can do. . .. except Canada. I know you can't take one there w/o Canadian cert like you can a Certified aircraft.
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Can you elaborate and cite a reference for this assertion? Are you saying you can't fly a US E-AB aircraft IFR into Canada? Because you are incorrect if you are.
 
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I updated my RV-9A's panel and fly VFR or IFR anywhere certified aircraft do with the exception of Mexico. This year, Mexico decided to take a very narrow interpretation of the US E-AB certificate and will not allow E-AB into their airspace. I previously flew to Cabo and Vallarta without any trouble as well as the Caribbean. As a previous owner of a certified aircraft, I will never go back.
 
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